Philadelphia Phillies' Ranger Suárez Reaches Historic Heights With ERA, WHIP

Ranger Suárez has been on an absolute tear for the Philadelphia Phillies, and his red-hot start to the season once again reached historic proportions Friday.

The left-handed starting pitcher took the mound in the series opener against the Miami Marlins, and he did not disappoint. Suárez tossed 7.0 scoreless innings, striking out nine while allowing just three hits and two walks.

Suárez is now 7-0 on the season, and the Phillies notably picked up the win in his lone no decision this year. Through eight starts, the 28-year-old southpaw owns a 1.50 ERA, 0.722 WHIP, 9.2 strikeouts per nine innings and a 2.5 WAR.

According to OptaSTATS, Suárez is now one of four pitchers since 1901 to post a sub-0.725 WHIP and eight team wins through eight starts. The three who achieved the feat before him – Christy Mathewson, Addie Joss and Mordecai Brown – all did so before 1909, during the dead-ball era.

Mathewson, Joss and Brown all went on to become Hall of Famers, as well.

Four MLB pitchers in the modern era have had a WHIP of 0.72 or lower over their first 8 starts of a season with their team winning all 8.

Three were dead-ball era HOFers (1901 Christy Mathewson, 1907 Addie Joss, 1908 Mordecai Brown).

The other is the @Phillies' Ranger Suárez. pic.twitter.com/3GkfhDQFab
— OptaSTATS (@OptaSTATS) May 11, 2024

MLB.com's Sarah Langs, meanwhile, noted that Suárez also boasts the fourth-lowest ERA by a Phillies pitcher through eight starts since earned runs became official in the National League in 1912. Grover Alexander put up the two best marks in team history in 1915 and 1916, while Ad Brennan's start to the 1913 campaign ranks third.

Alexander is also a Hall of Famer.

lowest ERA in 1st 8 starts of season, Phillies since ER official in NL (1912):

1915 Grover Alexander: 1.14
1916 Grover Alexander: 1.30
1913 Ad Brennan: 1.46
2024 Ranger Suárez: 1.50 https://t.co/3ca3VbSjxI
— Sarah Langs (@SlangsOnSports) May 11, 2024

Suárez showed promise prior to 2024, but he hardly ever had Hall of Fame company like this.

After making his MLB debut in 2018, Suárez spent 2019 and 2020 as a reliever. He didn't become a full-time starter until the last few months of 2021, but he finished that season with a 5.6 WAR in just 106.0 innings thanks to his 1.36 ERA and 1.000 WHIP.

Suárez went 14-13 with a 3.88 ERA and 1.370 WHIP between 2022 and 2023, establishing himself as a solid member of a competitive Phillies rotation. He ascended to another level in the postseason, though, going 3-1 with a 1.62 ERA and 0.900 WHIP during Philadelphia's extended playoff runs those two seasons.

Including the postseason, the Phillies are 13-2 in Suárez's last 15 starts.

Suárez is set to become a free agent after the 2025 season. Even though Philadelphia is paying big money to veteran aces Zack Wheeler and Aaron Nola, Suárez is surely making a case that he deserves a lucrative contract extension of his own.

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